Cottage kitchen looking tired?

Head to the hardware store for a gallon of inspiration

Paint, especially in the sticks, will unify mismatched cabinet doors in a charming way. In our city homes we have higher expectations and want fancy finishes. That's the good news about the country: You can get away with banged-up cabinets and counters and they'll look rustic.

Photograph by: Handout photo
, National Post

When it comes to kitchens, I love a gut job as much as the next girl, but I love a kitchen refresh even more.

There is something so rewarding about taking the most grungy and dilapidated kitchen and making it gorgeous without tearing out the cabinets.

Of course, if your cabinets are damaged or your layout isn't working, you need a whole new kitchen. But when you have a kitchen that has a great layout and cabinets that are in good condition, there are so many small changes you can make that will make a big difference.

This is especially good news for cottage owners. As far as summer homes go, a kitchen reno is not necessarily something we want to take on during summer vacation, or worse, during the colder months. A kitchen reno is challenging enough in the city, but in the country it's even tougher. You have to deal with the distance. Materials can be hard to get. And, heaven forbid you're missing a cabinet after 5 p.m. in the woods. Unless you're willing to make the drive back to the city, your reno will come to a halt.

I don't want to mislead you into thinking that a refresh isn't work, but if you start with just a coat of paint on the cabinets, you will feel so much better. I sound like a broken record, but paint, especially in the sticks, will unify mismatched cabinet doors in a charming way.

In our city homes we have higher expectations and want fancy finishes. That's the good news about the country: You can get away with banged-up cabinets and counters and they'll look rustic.

In the case of the family's kitchen in the photo above from my show Summer Home on HGTV, the facelift was extensive. Fortunately, there are varying degrees to which you can refresh your kitchen.

You can paint your cabinets by hand if they are wood (and if you're good with a brush) or take the doors down and have them professionally spraypainted. The kitchen's carcass needs to be painted by hand. And once you change the hardware, you may have what feels like a brand new kitchen.

Lacking prep space? Ikea islands will marry seamlessly with any style of cabinet. Using the same countertop material on your old cabinets will give you a cohesive look. I'm partial to butcher block for its country aesthetic. A new countertop of course means that you'll be changing your sink and faucet, too.

If you want to take it a step further and changing old appliances is in the budget, be sure to measure, measure, measure. Replacing old appliances with new ones can be tricky because the sizes can change when you're trying to make your kitchen look built-in with a slide-in range or counter-depth fridge. A carpenter can work wonders with filler boards to make your kitchen look custom.

Speaking of filler, you can also use it to get rid of the dust bunny collecting gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. To kick your kitchen up a notch further, add crown molding on top of the filler.

Before you start any makeover, planning is key. In the world of decorating and design, every decision affects what you can and can't do down the road. A solid plan and detailed checklist will keep you from crying as you go down the road on that three-hour journey back to the city.

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Paint, especially in the sticks, will unify mismatched cabinet doors in a charming way. In our city homes we have higher expectations and want fancy finishes. That's the good news about the country: You can get away with banged-up cabinets and counters and they'll look rustic.

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